Iraq: Politics, Elections, and Benchmarks

Abstract

Iraq's political system, the result of a U.S.-supported election process, is increasingly characterized by peaceful competition rather than violence, as well as by cross-sectarianism alliances. However, ethnic and factional infighting have not ended. Some believe that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, strengthened politically by the January 31, 2009, provincial elections, is increasingly authoritarian, in part to ensure that he holds power after the planned January 2010, national elections. Maliki is widely assessed as gaining control of the security services and building new security organs loyal to him personally. He has also formed cross-sectarian alliances with a wide range of Sunni and Kurdish factions, to counter new coalitions formed in August and October by a wide range of erstwhile allies and former opponents.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 18, 2009
Accession Number
ADA511457

Entities

People

  • Kenneth Katzman

Organizations

  • Library of Congress

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Congress
  • Elections
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Governments
  • Intellectual Property
  • Kurds
  • Law
  • Minority Groups
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • Personnel Management
  • Political Systems
  • Sectarian Violence
  • Security
  • Terrorists
  • United States

Readers

  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.